Bird Cams Around the World

I'm sorry that I didn't get a chance to watch these nests. Will try to make time next year. What nice pictures.

I saw these eyes at the Island of Fidra this morning. Pretty sure it's not a falcon.

An owl? I can see another bird over to the side.

How strange, ljames! I can't tell what it is...

It could be a Northern Gannet, facing the cam. ? ? ? This cam is at the Fidra Gannet colony. There are chicks too.
The image may be slightly distorted by the raindrops, which gives it that weird look. :wink;
Similar picture:

Oh, you are probably right DEF. The tail feathers on the bird to the right look like a Gannet, now that I see them. Just distorted. Thanks.

A story from southwest Scotland with a tragic outcome:

Peregrine falcon killed by discarded rubbish

A young peregrine falcon has had to be put down after losing its feet due to rubbish discarded on a south west Scotland shoreline.

The Scottish SPCA was called out to cliffs between Leswalt and Portpatrick to recover the bird last week.

It had become tangled in nylon string in its nest which resulted in both its feet being amputated.

The SSPCA has urged people not to dump rubbish on beaches or in the water to avoid harming such "magnificent" birds.

Officers were called to the cliffs in Dumfries and Galloway on 23 July after a concerned member of the public saw the bird of prey struggling to leave its nest.

One inspector descended the cliff face to release the bird from the snagging.

However, both of its feet had been amputated after its legs had become snared in plastic wire and netting which the parents had used to build the nest.

Due to the extent of its injuries the SSPCA decided the only humane option was to put the falcon to sleep.

Insp Janet Proudlock said: "This was a very sad outcome for everyone involved in the rescue, including the gentleman who contacted us after he had been watching the peregrines rear their young for several weeks.

"I directed our rescue team from sea level and we were able to quickly reach the bird and release it from the plastic and twine that was preventing it from leaving the nest.

"We were all desperately sad, but at the same time, glad to have been able to relieve the bird from the nest as it would otherwise have slowly starved to death."

'Sad fact'

Two other chicks which were in the same nest have successfully fledged.

Insp Proudlock said it was a "sad fact" that rubbish was now a feature of countryside and coastlines and birds often built their nests from such materials.

"The birds don't know the difference between nylon string and grasses and this is the reason why tragedies like this occur," she said.

"If people just cleaned up after themselves we wouldn't have to deal with this sort of issue.

"To lose a magnificent bird such as a peregrine falcon is very sad indeed."

Huntly

A couple of updates from the site. It's good to know that the three juvies are doing well.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The falcon and tiercel are still bringing food for the juveniles, who skillfully fly under the adults, plucking the prey from their talons. The next step will be learning to catch their own prey which won't be long now judging by how long one of them stays away from the quarry. These three juveniles now make it 9 chicks successfully fledged by this pair of adults here which is a tremendous achievement for them.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Our three juvenile peregrines are pretty much independent now and we are seeing less and less of them each day. The adults are still around, appearing a lot less harassed now that they are constantly being pursued and screamed at for food. Even the Tiercel is perching up in the quarry in full view some days.

Well, I've never seen this before. Must be the visitor center.

Island of Fidra, Scotland

Finally, I see a falcon again.

Huntly

I think the babies (that I never got to see) are raised and gone now, as I am seeing a parent on the lighthouse more and more.

Huntly

Huntly~he/she is back again..

This is such a beautiful place to see the Falcons in their natural habitat
gorgeous pictures ljames